The account, marked as a cyber-safety and cybersecurity awareness handle and maintained by Ministry of Home Affairs, has close to 40,000 followers with 417 tweets posted so far.

The past year saw a flurry of privacy breaches across online platforms, bringing in point the question of data security in the digital world. The amount of personal information we put online has gone up a great deal over the course of time, with everything from banking services to civic amenities now present online. Over the past year, the government has directed web administrators to keep user data safe. But then, there are best practices for users too to protect against cyber crimes. And this is where the Cyber Dost initiative comes in.

Cyber Dost is a Twitter handle, @CyberDost, floated by the Ministry of Home Affairs back in March 2018 that advises people on how to keep their personal and financial details safe while using them online. The account, marked as a cyber-safety and cybersecurity awareness handle, has close to 40,000 followers with 417 tweets posted so far.

"Due to lack of awareness about the modus operandi of such cyber criminals, some people become victims of various crimes. Education and awareness will help in preventing such crimes to a significant extent," the Ministry of Home Affairs had said in a statement explaining Cyber Dost.

The handle covers topics ranging from safe online banking, to identity theft and even measures to ensure safe internet usage for children. The Cyber Dost handle also directs victims of cyber crimes towards the correct channels to file their complaints. People can post their queries on its feed and get an answer about a suitable course of action.

The handle also posts tips for general public and government officials to keep them updated on the best practices regarding cybersecurity. The handle also tries to generate awareness in order to check the spread of fake news, which has been making headlines for some time now.